Research project in prison settings

I conducted a field study in four largest His Majesty’s prisons in Pentonville, Leeds, Stoken, and Birmingham. We installed over 80 monitors, successfully capturing the indoor environmental design to produce case studies. Aligning with the seven areas the Ministry of Justice has identified as high-risk contact spaces for staff, prisoners, and the community, we focused on the hall, gym, healthcare facilities, reception, and staff offices. Additionally, collaborative field study experiments were conducted with the University of Cambridge. These experiments involved using artificial smoke and carbon dioxide (CO2) tracer gas to calculate cell ventilation rates. Furthermore, during the heatwaves of June 2021, I installed measuring sensors and monitored temperatures and humidity in cells at the Stocken prison. The results obtained yielded valuable insights, highlighting instances of overheating within the prison environment. This work led to a report on research impact and outcomes, including policy recommendations, designed to expedite action by the Ministry of Justice. We have also authored a leading journal paper presenting the field study monitoring results, and journal papers are being prepared for publication in collaboration with the University of Cambridge to diffuse the findings across various scholarly spaces. Meanwhile ongoing regular meetings with the Ministry of Justice are being conducted to discuss the continued research aimed at enhancing ventilation and implementing potential interventions in all prison buildings in England and Wales.